For a Malaysian student, the hardest part of a degree is often the gap between what a classroom teaches and what a first job actually demands. CelcomDigi's latest move on its CD:NXT talent programme is aimed straight at that gap, putting students on real company projects while they are still studying.
On 2 October 2026 in Petaling Jaya, the operator set out the next chapter of CD:NXT, built around three programmes: a new work-based learning scheme called campus@celcomdigi, the Young Talent Programme for fresh graduates, and a Certifications track in emerging technology. The launch was officiated by the Director General of the Ministry of Higher Education, Datuk Prof Dr Azlinda Azman, on behalf of Higher Education Minister Dato' Seri Diraja Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir.
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What campus@celcomdigi offers students
campus@celcomdigi folds industry work into the degree itself rather than leaving it to a one-off internship. Second-year students take on real business challenges as part of their coursework and get ongoing mentorship from working practitioners. Selected final-year students then move into industry residencies at CelcomDigi's on-site campus at its headquarters, joining experienced teams on live projects as part of their final year.
The scheme starts with four university partners: Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) and HELP University. Through the final-year residencies, CelcomDigi says it aims to reach more than 300 students a year, with plans to add more universities over time. It builds on an earlier tie-up with HELP University to develop digital talent.
Two more routes into a tech career
The Young Talent Programme (YTP), first run in 2025, is a two-year track for high-potential graduates that mixes rotational assignments, mentorship and work on strategic projects. Its second intake of 20 has just started, spread across Cloud Engineering, Cybersecurity, Data and Business Analytics, Digital Product Development, and AI and Automation. It sits alongside CelcomDigi's other graduate efforts, including the Future Pros bootcamp.
The third programme, Certifications, extends CelcomDigi Metaversity with recognised accreditation in artificial intelligence (AI) and extended reality (XR). It is open to school and university students as well as working professionals who want a formal qualification in those areas.
Why it matters for Malaysia
CelcomDigi is framing CD:NXT as its contribution to the national skills pipeline, in line with the Rancangan Pendidikan Tinggi Malaysia (RPTM) 2026-2035. As the country's largest mobile operator, with more than 20.3 million users, it has both a stake in a deeper local talent pool and the scale to offer students real projects to work on.
"CD:NXT is our commitment to building that future," said CelcomDigi Chief Executive Officer Albern Murty. "We continue to invest in talent today to nurture a generation of Malaysians to grow their careers."
For students weighing where to study, the practical takeaway is simple: a degree at one of the four partner universities can now come with structured time inside a major tech company before graduation, which is exactly the experience a first employer tends to ask for.
